Improved apparatus fob drying glue



@uiten tates gaimt @fitte Operation of drying becomes complete.

CHRISTIAN WAHL, CF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

Letters Patent No. 80,248, dated July 21, 1868.

IMPB-OVED APPARATUS POR llRYIN G GLUB.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

vBc it known that I, CHRISTIAN WAHL, of Chicago, in the county of Cook, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Means for Drying Glue; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

My invention produces the finished glue in thin flakes of the best quality, by a continuous operation, which may be eifected very rapidly, and with little lab'or. 'Some portions of my apparatus have been before patented, but the features have not, so far as I am4 aware,been before combined, and several features of importance believe to be entirely new. p

I will first describe what I consider 4the best means of carrying out my invention, and will afterwards designate the points which I believe to be new therein. A

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the entire apparatus, with the side removed to give agood view of the interior.

Figure 2 is a cross-section on the line S S in fig. I.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

A is an' endless belt, of leather, rubber, canvas, or other suitable strong material. A are arms, extending out therefrom, and adapted to support at their ends the shafts b, on which is mounted aseries of circular plates or disks, I3. On these disks the glue is dried in a thin coat, which cracks and comes off with facility as the 'I may remark here that the disks B are of enamelled iron, or some material which presents an cnamelled or glossy surface, in order to avoid the reactions which are liable to occur Vbetween the glue and a metallic surface.

The shafts b carry gear-wheels B, near their ends, by means of which a rotary motion is communicated to the shafts b, and to the plates B, at intervals, from curved racks provided for thatipurpose. I can, under some circumstances, make these parts B smooth pulleys, covered on their outer surfaces with leather or rubber, to afforda suitablevfrietional Contact, and allow them to roll against fixed surfaces during the greater portion of their journey, and to roll against actively-rotating surfaces during the period or periods when-their rotation requires to be active and positive.

C1 C2 are cylindrical drums, mounted on shafts e c, the'one above the other, and at such dista-nee apart as the work will require, or as the dimensions of the building will accommodate. p

C3 is an additional drum, mounted a little out of the central line, the purpose of which will appear further on. D is a trough or vessel, which contains the glue. It may he kept at the proper temperature by'any 'approved means' The plates B, after being partially immersed in the gine m, are rotated several times, so as to coat the surface uniformly with the fluid.

The number of revolutions of the plates I3, while partially immersed in the liquid glue, the rapidity and temperature at which the entire operation is conducted, must vary greatly with the variations in character or quality of the glue. I prefer, irl-ordinary cases, to turn the plates twicc,exposing the plate-to as low a temperature as practicable when it comes out of theibath, in order to congeal or harden the thin coats of glue on the surface. One ofthe most convenient modes of thus cooling the glue is to expose it to a blast of cold air.

E is broad iine or spout, from which a blast of cold air is discharged by the action of a fan, c.

It will bc understood that the drums Cl C2 are slowly turned, either continuously or at intervals,` by means of a steam-engine or other power, not represented, and that the plates B are carried up in a series at one side, and descending in the samemanner in the other, being supported on the belt A. During the whole ofthe descending motion, the plates 'are exposed to warm, dry air. This air is supplied through the flue II by means of a fan, le, it being previously heated by an air-heating furnace, or other eiiicient and readily-controllable means. i fI propose to ein-ploy chloride ofvcalcium or other absorbent chemicals, in addition to the heating of the air, to increasing its drying effect.r The temperature at which this warm air is introduced should vary, as before suggested. With seme hnds of glue.l it should not be above 75 Fahrenheit, with other kinds, it may, without se 21s danger, be heated up to 120. The dry air introduced by these means blows up on one side of the apparatus, passing in succession between the several series oi' plates B, which are descending on th-at side. Y Under ordinary circumstances the glue will separate spontaneously from the surfaces ofthe plates or disks B during their descent, but I have provided a revolving brush, It, turned by the steam-engine or other power,

which brushes the entire surface of each disk, and removes any-flakes of glue which might chance to remain adhering, on their arrival at that point.

I consider it important that the plates B are capable of rotating, and they do rotate, as above described, at two periods, to wit, while they are partially immersed in the glue at the commencement et' each ope-ration, and while they are being brushed to remove any glue which may remain, at the termination of each operation. I

` consider it also an advantage, though to a. far less degree, to rotate them continuously and slightly during their wholejonrney.` AThis exposes all the parte very uniformly tothe action of the warm and vdry air.

The ascent of the plates maybe exactly vertical. The u'ppcr drum is larger than the lower, and the descent is-vertical until it reaches the drum C3.' From there the endless belt runs inclined, as represented, and passesunder the lower drum C2. In traversing the incline between C3 and C2, any remaining particles of glue not already fallen from the plates B, may be removed by rotating brushes. The glue produced in this manner is in the form of thin Hakes.

I prefer to blow the warm air in a very gentle current, but it is liable, with every'precaution, to carry upY large vquantities of the light flaky material, and to discharge it through the passage G. After passing out of the passage G, it is received in a cepacious chamber, J, which is covered at the top and upper sides with wire gauzcj. v

F are projections or partit-ions of vulcanized rubber, extending inward from Ythe walls of the casing.- They extend inward so far as to touch the edgesof the disks. As each series of the disks B passes each projection F, it istouched, and partially turned. This turning or assisting to turn the disks is only a part ofthe duties of these partial partitions. Another part of their duties is to deflect. the currents of air passing thc several series of disks, and to prevent any portion passing unobstructedly along the casing outside of the several series. They compel the air to circulate thoroughly among the disks. I propose, inanost cases, to provide analogous projcctions or partial partitions extending outward from the belt A, between the several series 'of disks, as indicated by the red outlines '.ll, to prevent the currents oi air from passing freely inside the several plates or disks.

The upper drum C1 is mounted on a frame, I, which is adjustable upand down, and is confined in the desired position by the bolts z', standing rin slots K, as represented. After slackening the bolts z', the upperrdrum C1 and its connections may be raised by wedging, or any other convenient means, not represented, and it may be then fixed again by the bolts Thus, any slackening ofthc belt A, duc to wear, or any change of length, due to change ot` temperature or moisture, may be compensated for. g

I have described the axes as mounted permanently ou the arms A. I prefer this construction for most purposes, but I propose, in some instances, to provide bearings, which will allow the shafts and their contents` to Abe removed by operating a suitable catch. I can then immerse and turn the platcsby hand in the liquid glue, and, after their brief exposure to a low temperature, or to the actionvof a cold blast, (to which they may be exposed by hand 4in, asimilar manner,) the same or a separate apartment, they may be mounted on the endless carrier A, and exposed during their wholejourney thereon tordry warm air driven by fans or other suitable devices. In' such caso the mechanism may be very/greatly simplified, the tank Dheing changed in position, and the drum O3 being dispensed with. The functions ofthe drum Cs will be understood as holding the descending part. of the belt A in such position that the glue falling, by gravity, from the plates B. in their descent, will be certain to fall outside ofthe vessel D. l

L represents a bin or vessel, specially provided to receive all those portions ofthe flaky glue which are not removed by thc currents of air. K

Many modilcations of my invention may be constructed by any goed mechanic, and still preserve `some of the advantages of my invention.

I have intimated near the commencement that the plates I- are of enamelled iron or nanalogous substances, to avoid chemical reactions. I attach much-importance to this fea-ture of the apparatus, Glue, as made under nearly all ordinary conditions, contains acid, Sulphuric acid and other acids areusuallyadded to the material in 'the course of the manufacture of glue, cspecially'the higher grades, and these additions are rarely, if ever, entirely neutralized. New, I prevent any injurious -eilbet of the acids upon the plates or disks B, by making the latter with an earthy surface. I can make the plates entirely ot' glass, porcelain, stone-ware, terra cotta, or other varieties of vitreous or ceramic ware, but I prefer to employ the great strength of iron, withan earthy surface, and thus-give the choice to cnaznelled iron, by which I'meau iron prepared withan intimatclyvadhering coating oi' earthy baked or vitreous glazing.

I esteem it possible to withstand' the acids bythe use of copper, silver, or the like surfaces, butv I esteem the earthy not only cheaper, but better and more durable. A

Apparatus for pouring or squirting the liquid glue upon the surfaces B may bc substituted for the tank D, it' preferred; Y Having now fully described my invention, what I c laim as new therein, and desire t0 secure by'Lettcrs Patent, is as follows: 1. I claim the employment of earthy surfaces upon which to expose the glue, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

2. I claim the combination of the revolving disksB with the endless belt A, or its equivalent, for transportingthem for a considerable period.througha` drying current of air, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

3. I claim the :adjustable pulley C', arranged aslrepresented relatively to the endless belt A, and to the glue-exposing surfaees B, carried thereon, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth. i

4. I claim the dellectors F, arranged as represented,relatively to the current of dry air, impelled asrepresented, and'to plates or glue-presenting surfaces B, which are transported past them, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

In testimony whereof', I have hereunto set my name Ain presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHRISTIAN WAHL.

Witnesses zl C. C. LIvINGs, W. C. DEY. 

